Baby pigs, born Tuesday at The Orange County Fair, nap in their pen Thursday. Daisy, their mother, a 4-year-old sow, died from a seizure a day after giving birth. Farm hands have taken up the sow's motherly role and the baby pigs are being fed milk from a nearby dairy cow. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

On Thursday, the small sleeping piglets - piled on top of each other - were a big attraction at Centennial Farms at the OC Fair.

It took visitors only a moment after admiring the newborns to realize something was missing.

"Where's the mom?" said Billie Neidig, who walked to the fair from a Costa Mesa home.

Daisy, a 3-year-old sow, died from a seizure a day after giving birth to a healthy litter of 11 piglets, fair officials said.

Daisy gave birth at Centennial Farms on Tuesday night and died Wednesday morning after the seizure, said Robin Wachner, spokeswoman for the fair. Wachner said Daisy had a clean bill of health before the incident.

"Here at the farm, things do happen," she said. "We don't really know what caused the seizure but her piglets are being well taken care of around the clock."

The piglets that Wachner said are "very frisky and playful" are being bottle-fed and cared for by farm staffers.

The sows and their piglets are always a big draw for families at the OC Fair. When a litter is born, there is often a long line of fairgoers waiting to catch a glimpse of the newest additions to the Centennial Farms.

When Ellie Longoria, of Downey, learned of the mother's death Thursday, she asked a Centennial Farm staffer how they were being fed.

Mostly through a bottle, the staffer told her.

"That's so sad," Longoria said.

Neidig said her family will keep tabs on the piglets.

"We're going to check on them in a couple of weeks," she said

The next sow expected to give birth is Honeydew. She is 1 1/2 and her due date is July 26, Wachner said.

Baby pigs, born Tuesday at The Orange County Fair, nap in their pen Thursday. Daisy, their mother, a 4-year-old sow, died from a seizure a day after giving birth. Farm hands have taken up the sow's motherly role and the baby pigs are being fed milk from a nearby dairy cow. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A baby pig, naps in its pen Thursday. Its mother, Daisy, a 4-year-old sow, died from a seizure a day after giving birth. Farm hands have taken up the sow's motherly role and the baby pigs are being fed milk from a nearby dairy cow. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Baby pigs, born Tuesday at The Orange County Fair, in their pen Thursday. Daisy, their mother, a 4-year-old sow, died from a seizure a day after giving birth. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Agricultural program coordinator Cynthia Haritatos bottle-feeds a newborn pig at The Orange County Fair Thursday. The piglet is one of 11 born at the fair Tuesday. The mother, Daisy, died a short time later. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Milk from nearby dairy cows is being used to feed the baby pigs. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Agricultural program coordinator Cynthia Haritatos carries a newborn pig at The Orange County Fair Thursday. The piglet is one of 11 born at the fair Tuesday. The mother, Daisy, died a short time later. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Baby pigs, born Tuesday at The Orange County Fair, nap in their pen Thursday. Daisy, their mother, a 4-year-old sow, died from a seizure a day after giving birth. Farm hands have taken up the sow's motherly role and the baby pigs are being fed milk from a nearby dairy cow. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Baby pigs, born Tuesday at The Orange County Fair, cuddle in their pen Thursday. Daisy, their mother, a 4-year-old sow, died from a seizure a day after giving birth. Farm hands have taken up the sow's motherly role and the baby pigs are being fed milk from a nearby dairy cow. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Farm hand Bill Harvey bottle-feeds a newborn pig at The Orange County Fair Thursday. The piglet is one of 11 born at the fair Tuesday. The mother, Daisy, died a short time later. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Farm hand Bill Harvey bottle-feeds a newborn pig at The Orange County Fair Thursday. The piglet is one of 11 born at the fair Tuesday. The mother, Daisy, died a short time later. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Agricultural program coordinator Cynthia Haritatos bottle-feeds a newborn pig at The Orange County Fair Thursday. The piglet is one of 11 born at the fair Tuesday. The mother, Daisy, died a short time later. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Agricultural program coordinator Cynthia Haritatos bottle-feeds a newborn pig at The Orange County Fair Thursday. The piglet is one of 11 born at the fair Tuesday. The mother, Daisy, died a short time later. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Eleven piglets born Tuesday night were orphaned when their mother, a sow named Daisy, died on Wednesday of a seizure. The piglets are being bottle fed by fair workers. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OC FAIR

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